Rampage sled player carries U.S. to gold

Published 10:05 pm, Saturday, March 15, 2014

Rampage sled hockey player Josh Sweeney (center) is congratulated by Tyler Carron (left) after scoring what proved to be the game-winner for the U.S.

Rampage sled hockey player Josh Sweeney (center) is congratulated by Tyler Carron (left) after scoring what proved to be the game-winner for the U.S.

Photo: Harry Engels / Getty Images

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SOCHI, RUSSIA - MARCH 15: Steve Cash of the United States celebrates after USA win the ice sledge hockey gold medal game against the Russian Federation and the United States of America at the Shayba Arena during day eight of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games on March 15, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) less

SOCHI, RUSSIA - MARCH 15: Steve Cash of the United States celebrates after USA win the ice sledge hockey gold medal game against the Russian Federation and the United States of America at the Shayba Arena ... more

Photo: Getty Images

Rampage sled player carries U.S. to gold

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SAN ANTONIO — SOCHI, Russia — Lining up on the Sochi ice to receive their gold medals, the American sled hockey team anticipated abuse from the Russian crowd.

It never came. Just cheers and applause.

Even after Russia was denied the gold medal by the Americans, who sent no official delegation to Sochi in a protest against Moscow's takeover of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.

“When they announced us as the gold medal, I was really surprised that the crowd cheered,” U.S. forward Josh Sweeney said after the Americans' 1-0 win.

It was Sweeney's goal in the second period that retained the Paralympic title for the U.S., ensuring it was “The Star-Spangled Banner” playing later in the near-7,000 capacity arena as the team embraced on the ice. Sweeney, a native of Phoenix, is one of three U.S. Paralympics members representing the Rampage's sled hockey team.

“Sweeney played out of his mind,” defenseman Taylor Chase said. “He has done that the whole tournament and worked so hard that it spreads throughout the whole team.”

The game-winning moment came in the 25th minute after Sweeney intercepted a pass by defenseman Alexei Lysov. The former U.S. Marine swept forward before raising the puck “top shelf” past goalie Vladimir Kamantcev.

“I got it from that defender, and I was a little surprised to be able to have a breakaway in the gold-medal match,” Sweeney said. “I just got fortunate.”

Team USA became the first team to win back-to-back gold medals in the Paralympics since the sport debuted in Lillehammer in 1994. The gold medal is the third for the U.S. since 2002.

Goaltender Steve Cash registered the shutout, stopping all six shots he faced. The U.S. had only four shots on goal.

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It has been less than five years since Sweeney lost his legs and left arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan. TV exposure of the gold-medal game live on NBC enabled him to show his fellow Marines there was life after being injured in the line of duty.

“It's awesome they can see me doing something amazing,” he said. “When I was injured, they all took it really hard, so it's nice for them to see my life isn't over.”